Reversing mechanism



May 18, 1948. 4 I F' 'H STOLP v 2,441,854

REVERS ING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 9, 194e l m. l wwwlffwffffmmwwfnnf'mw u. :Ummmliramsmseumhmimmm:

Patented May 18,l 1948 UNITED PAT E NT F F ICE.

nnvnnsme MEcnANlsM Frank- H;1'St'olp Geneva, N. Y. Application Augusto, 194e,seria1.N0. 689,316

f5 enemar (ci. vii-'34) kkl The present. inventionv .relates to reversing mechanisms and more vparticularly to reversing mechanisms suchr asmay beemployedin revers.- ing a carriage, table or similar part of. ay ma-A chine. In a more specic aspecathe invention relates to apparatus for 'tripping a reversing mechanism at therendsof the strokesA of the carriage, table or other reversible part. controlled thereby.

It is conventional lpractice `to trip vthe reversing mechanisms of. machines by-a pivoted lever which is actuated at oppositeends of Ythe vstroke-of the reversible part by adjustable stops carried by the reversible part. This requires suicientovertravel of the carriageor table or other reversible part at the ends ci itsv strokes for. the stops. to move thelever far enough to eec't reversal. v'I'o reduce the amount of over-travel as muchas possible, it has. been customary ^to employ a spring load-and-remechanism so that when thelever has been swung in one. direction .or the other past center, the load-.and-re mechanism. quickly moves it on to theend `ofits swing effecting shift of the reversing mechanism., A loa.ia.nd.rire mechanism operates, however, with considerable shock, which causes noise, vibration and wear.

One objectv yof the present invention. isy to pro-V vide means for tripping areversing .mechanism which will' reduce to aminimum the amount of over-travel required to effect, reversal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trip for a reversing mechanism which will. be just as eiTective as aload-andre actuated trip mechanism but which will .not have to depend upon springs for operation and which will, operate.

without shock- Y Still another object ofY theinventon isto pro.-

vide a trip for reversingY mechanismswhichwill not only elect operationof the reversing .mechanism without shock, but achieve Vshift of thereversing mechanism with an easy start andv easy stop motion.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specicationand from the recital of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a plan viewfof .the carriage of a 'standard lathe or planer, showings. conventional form of reversing mechanism for the carriage, and showing trip apparatus constructed according-to one embodiment of this invention mounted on the bed of the machine and connected to the enlargedy scaleV showing the trip apparatus of thisr invention. in process of actuation and in a different position from the position shown in Fig. 1;

3 is another fragmentary plan view, showing the trip apparatus in. still a further position, this position being one of its limit positions, reversal of the direction of movement of the Carriage having now been effected;

Fig- 4 is a section through the trip apparatus on the line. flof Fig.,2; and

Fig.. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3v

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of; reference, I denotes. the base or bed of a machine, such as a lathe or planer, on which vthe apparatus of the present invention is employed. H denotes a carriage which is mounted upon the bed i@ for reciprocation on ways l2.

In the machine illustrated, the carriage I I is moved alternately in opposite directions through a conventonalV reversing mechanism compris.- ing the'gears i4 and i5 and the clutch member i6. Thejclutch member i5 is secured in any suitable manner to a shaft il which is journaled in the bed of the machine. f Fastened to this shaft l? is a spur pinion iS which meshes with a rack I that .is secured to the underside of the carriage il. Thegears lli and l5 are adapted to be driven in opposite directions, and are engaged alternately with the clutch member vlli to drive theshaft Il alternately in opposite directions. These gears are adapted to be driven from a main drive shaft 2rd, the gear i4 meshing with aspur pinion 2! which is secured to this drive shaft, andthe gear l5 being adapted to mesh with a spur pinion 23 which is secured to a idler shaft 24 and which meshes with a spur pinionV 215 that is secured to the main drive shaft 2. The gears Hi. and l5k have clutchV portions 39 and 3l vformed. integral with them which are adapted 'to' be engaged, respectively, with the clutch teeth at opposite ends of the clutch memberV le. For this purpose, the gears I4 and l5 are adapted to be moved axially of the shaft Il to be shifted into and out of engagement with the clutch member It.

The shifting ofthe gears Eli and l5 is elected by yoke members and respectively, which engage in grooves 34 and S5, respectively, formed in the hubs of the gears lil and l5, respectively. The yoke members 32 and 33 are mounted upon Y a shift-rod 31 which is reciprocable axially in the reversing mechanism tov operate the same at op:

posite ends of the travel of the carriage;

Y Fig. 2*.is a fragmentaryviewr-in. plan on, an-

bed oi the machine.Y There are two collars 33 and 39 pinned to thisvrod and the yoke members 32 and.33lare held against these collars by coil This is a conventional type of reverse mechanism and is widely used. The new feature of the invention is the means for shifting the rod Pivotally mounted, as by means of thepin 52, upon a bracket 50 which is secured by screws 5I to the bed of the machine is a triangularly shaped j plate 53. This plate has a pin 54 secured to it which is adapted to be engaged alternately at.

opposite ends of the stroke of the carriage ll by` the stops 55 and 56. These stops may beY secured to the carriage by bolts 51 and may be adjustable thereon in the usual fashion to determine theV length of stroke of the carriage.

The plate 53 carries another pin 59 on which is mounted a block 6D. This block is adapted to engage in an elongatedslot 6I formed in a lever 62. This lever fulcrums on a block 54 which is eitherend of` its stroke is, therefore, reduced to adapted to slide in the slot 6| and which is mounted upon a stud B5 that is secured in the bracket 50. At the end opposite that which is connected with plate 53, the lever 62 is pivotally connected by means of a pin 61 with a member 1U which is mounted to rotate on a stud 1| that is secured in the bracket 53. The member 10 has a hub portion whose periphery 12 is eccentric of the pivot stud 1I. A ring member 14 surrounds the hub portion of the member 10 and has an arm 15 projecting from one side of it which is pivotally connected by a pin 16 with the head 11 of the shift rod 31. The eccentric member 10 is also formed with a relatively massive up-turned flanged portion 18 which serves as a weight.

In operation, assuming, for instance, that the carriage H is traveling in the direction of the arrow BQ of Fig. 1, the stop 56 is brought into engagement with the pin 54 of plate 53 just before the end of the leftward travel of the carriage, and in the further leitward movement of the carriage, the stop rocks the triangular plate 53 counterclockwise about its pivot pin 52 from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2. Y Through engagement of the block 60 in the slot 6I, this causes the lever 62 to rotate the eccentric member 10 with a slow start motion, but once movement of the crank member 10 is initiated, the weight and momentum of part 18 operates to carry crank member 1i), lever B2 and plate 53 on to the ends of their movements. The carriage H continues to move in the direction of the arrow 80 until the crank member 10 has been swung through 180 degrees from the'position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3. tric member 10 eiects axial movement of the shift rod 31, causing the clutch member 30 and its gear I4 to be moved out of engagement with the clutch member I6 and the clutch member 3| and its gear I5 to be moved into engagement with clutch member I6. Thus, the carriage Il is reversed. The 'shift of rod 31 takes place without shock because toward the end of its movement, eccentric member 10 is slowed down because of the eccentric connection of lever 62 therewith.

Toward the opposite end of movement of carriage H, the stop 55 strikes the pin 54 and the triangular shaped member 53 is swung clockwise about its pivot pin 52, causing the lever 60 to reverse the eccentric member 10 and swing it from the position shown in Fig. 3 back to the position shown in Fig. l, again reversing the The swing of the eccen- 4 direction of drive to the carriage. In its swineing movement, the eccentric member 10 is again started easily with a slow start motion, but this motion being a crank motion is speeded up and the Weight of part 18 carries it on to quickly effect the reversal. Toward the end of the swing of the member 10, however, the motion is again slowed down as the member 10 approaches its stop position'. 1

. The apparatus of the present invention, therefore, provides a slow start and slow stop motion fior shifting a standard reverse mechanism. .Moreover, through use of weight 18 the trip mechanism effects rapid shift of rod 31 once it hasfbeengstarted. Overtravel of carriage I'I at a minimum.

While the apparatus Ahas been shown in connection with a particular form of reverse mechanism kof the mechanical type, it will be understood that it may be applied to the shifting of any form of reverse mechanism, whether mechanical, or Huid-pressure operated or of any other type. In a Huid-pressure operated reverse mechanism, for instance, where reversal is effected by shifting of` a valve, the apparatus of the present invention. will eiect slow start and slow stop motion of the valve in its reversing movement and at the same time will minimize the over-travel of the carriage or other reciprocating part.

It will*y further be understood that while the invention has4 been described in connection with aparticular embodiment thereof, it is capable of` further modification and this application is intended to coverV any variations, uses, or adapta tions of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure -as come Within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.Y A

Having thus described my invention.- what l'.

claim is:V Y l Y- 1. The combination with a reciprocable part, means for moving said part in opposite directions, and means for reversing said last named` means,- of a movable member which is connected to the reversing means and which is operable when moved through a given distance to eiect operation of the reversing means, means carried by the reciprocable part for initiating movementfof the movable member toward the ends of the stroke of the reciprocable part, and means carried by the movable member for causing it to be moved on through the given distance once its movement has been initiated in one direction.

2. The combination with a reciprocable part, means for moving said part in opposite directions, and means for reversing the last named means to eiect alternate movement of the reciprocable part in opposite directions, ofv means for tripping the reversing means comprising a ring member connected to the reversing means, van oscillatable memberon which the ring member is journaled with its axis Veccentric of the axis of the oscillatable member, a pair of spaced stops cn the reciprocable part for swinging the oscillatable member in opposite directions at opposite ends of the stroke of the reciprocable part, land a weight carried by the oscillatable member and radially off-set from the axi'sof said member, said Weight being suicient to urge said member on to the end of its movement once its movement has been initiated.

3. The combination with a reciprocable part, means for moving said part in opposite directions, and means for reversing the last named means, of means for tripping the reversing means comprising an oscillatable member, a ring member journaled on the oscillatable member and connected to the reversing means, means for swinging the oscillatable member in opposite directions at opposite ends of the stroke of the reciprocable part comprising a pair of spaced stops secured to the reciprocable part, a rockable plate adapted to be rocked in opposite directions, respectively, on engagement of the stops therewith, and a pivoted lever connected at one end to the plate and at its opposite end to the oscillatable member.

4. The combination with a reciprocable part, means for moving said part in opposite directions, and means for reversing the last named means, of means for tripping the reversing means comprising an oscillatable member, a ring member journaled on the oscillatable member and connected to the reversing means, means for swinging the oscillatable member in opposite directions at opposite ends of the stroke of the reciprocable part comprising a pair of spaced stops secured to the reciprocable part, a rockable plate adapted to be rocked in opposite directions, respectively,

on engagement of the stops therewith, a pivoted 30 lever connected at one end to the plate, and at its opposite end to the oscillatable member, and

a weight secured to the oscillatable member at a point off-set from its axis.

5. The combination with a reciprocable part, means for moving said part in opposite directions, and means for reversing the last named means to eiect alternate movement of the reciprocable part in opposite directions, of means for tripping the reversing means comprising an oscillatable member, a ring member journaled on the oscillatable member and connected tothe reversing means, a pair of spaced stops secured to the reciprocable part, a rockable plated adapted to be rocked in opposite directions, respectively, on engagement of the stops therewith, a pivoted lever having a slot therein, a pin and block slidable in said slot for connecting the lever at one end to the rockable plate, means for connecting the lever at its-opposite end to the oscillatable member, and a weight secured to said oscillatable member eccentrically of the axis of said member.

FRANK H. STOLP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

